Tuesday, December 2 | 5:00 p.m.-5:10 p.m. | T8-SSNMMI04-4 | Room S405
In this session on molecular imaging of the brain, researchers will share how F-18 FDG-PET/CT scans have established a link between reduced brain metabolism and motor function and survival in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
Xiaoping Yi, MD, PhD, of Chongqing University in Chongqing, China, will present findings based on F-18 FDG-PET/CT scans of ALS patients with mutations of the neurofilament heavy (NEFH) gene, which are linked to neuromuscular disorders and are associated with higher risk for ALS.
The researchers recruited 127 ALS patients and 128 age- and gender-matched health controls. There were 26 patients with NEFH mutations among the 127 ALS patients. Study assessments included demographic data collection and questionnaires for motor function, cognition, and depression. All participants underwent a brain F-18 FDG PET/CT.
Compared with healthy controls, NEFH-ALS patients had hypometabolism in the cortex-striatum/limbic system-brainstem circuit (p < 0.01). Decreased brain metabolism was correlated with impairments of motor function (r = 0.418, p = 0.042), cognitive scores(r = 0.473, p = 0.02), and depression(r = -0.536, p = 0.007). In addition, in the NEFH-ALS group, motor functions were found to be mediated by cognitive function and depression.
“The reduced brain metabolic activity could potentially be an independent prognostic factor for survival for patients with ALS and NEFH gene mutation,” according to Yi and colleagues.
Finish off the day by learning the details in this late Tuesday afternoon session.